Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn (4th Edition): The Complete Guide [Paperback]

Penny Simkin (Author), April Bolding (Author), Ann Keppler (Author), Janelle Durham (Author), Janet Whalley (Author)

Book Description

Release date: July 27, 2010 | ISBN-10: 143917511X | ISBN-13: 978-1439175118 | Edition: 4

"More readable, more attractive, and more accessible” is how pregnant couples describe the latest edition of this million plus-copy seller! And, of course, it’s got all the latest medical information and advice. The new edition is designed to expand the retail market for this authoritative and complete guide.

Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn: The Complete Guide is already one of the bestselling pregnancy books on the market, with more than one million copies in print! Now newly revised and redesigned, this comprehensive, authoritative “bible” provides expectant couples with abundant, valuable information about pregnancy, labor, birth, the postpartum period, and newborn care.

 

This award-winning book presents the latest research-based information on pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood, including:

•   New information on complementary-medicine approaches such as acupuncture

•   Updated information on interventions during childbirth

•   Revised statistics and discussions on cesarean birth and vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC)

•   New advice on informed decision-making, one of the hottest topics in maternity care today

•   Plus much, much more!

The book has been redesigned so it’s more accessible and reader-friendly, with more photos, illustrations, and boxed features that allow for important information to be highlighted. Also included in the new design are fun and informative sidebars, such as “Common Q&As” about pregnancy, childbirth, and newborn care; “In Their Own Words,” in which parents describe their pregnancy, childbirth, and early parenting experiences from their point of view; and “Fact or Fiction?” in which the authors present common misinformation and the facts. New to this edition is an accompanying website, www.PCNGuide.com, where readers can find additional maternity care information as well as helpful forms and worksheets.

Mom’s Choice Awards  Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn (2010) – GOLD AWARD:  Pregnancy & Childbirth; iParenting Media Awards Pregnancy, Childbirth & the Newborn (2009) – Best Products Winner: Book; Living Now Book Awards Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn: The Complete Guide (2009) – Family (Parenting/Health/Safety): BRONZE AWARD; National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) Pregnancy, Childbirth & the Newborn (2009) – GOLD AWARD: Parenting Resources; USABookNews.com Pregnancy, Childbirth & the Newborn (2009) – WINNER: Parenting/Family: Pregnancy & Childbirth; ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards Pregnancy, Childbirth & the Newborn (2008) – FINALIST: Parenting

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is the ultimate guide to all aspects of birthing. It is a must for all pregnant women and those who love them!" —Christine Northrup, MD, author of Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause

"Once again the authors have provided the right information, at the right time, and have delivered it with the kind of reassuring expertise that helps expectant parents prepare for the most meaningful moment of their lives." —Bernie Dorsey, founder of Conscious Fathering

"This is the revision we have been waiting for! It is the best book for parents… and a wonderful resource." —Kathleen A. Lindstrom, CD (DONA), LCCE, FACC; Perinatal Program Manager, Douglas College, Coquitlam, BC

"Throw away your 'what to expect' guide! This book is what every mom-to-be needs." —Marjorie Greenfield, MD; author of The Workeing Woman's Pregnancy Guide

"The single best book for understanding pregnancy and birth." —Carol Jones, CNM; Director of Midwifery, Virginia Mason Clinic, Seattle, WA

"For the most part, pregnancy books are written for and read by women, but if you're a caring father (or father-to-be), this is an outstanding book. It gives the fairest and most complete descriptions of the myriad medical options available during childbirth. It is the best of the many books available." —Tom Seager, father of three, Potsdam, NY

"This book is authoritative without feeling overwhelming. It keeps the woman and her family in focus and provides a range of options. If expectant parents could have one book, this would be the one." —Trish Booth, MA, LCCE, FACCE; childbirth education consultant, Manlius, NY

"The material is beautifully organized and the presentation is crystal clear." —Sheila Kitzinger, author of The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth

"A truly wonderful book for expectant families. It's informative, thorough, and helpful. We give it to all our patients, and they think it's great too!" —Carolyn Kline, MD, MPH; perinatologist, Eastside Maternal Fetal Medicine, Kirkland and Bellevue, WA

"Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn has been a standard guide for expecting parents since the first edition in 1979. With the 4th edition, the book has undergone some amazing changes. The pages are more graphical in design and easier to search, with each chapter broken into smaller sections. Sidebars break up the text so important information can be pointed out easily to the reader. Lots of sketches and black and white photographs adorn the pages. Easy-to-read charts describe trimester changes, sample fetal movement counts, newborn tests, procedures and much more.

The book covers everything from prenatal nutrition to making a birth plan. Doulas, pain relief options and homebirth are all presented in a fair, evenhanded manner, leaving the reader to decide what options may be best for herself and her baby. The authors have done an excellent job at outlining the many options available to pregnant and birthing women today. There is an entire chapter describing what labor may be like, as well as one about possible complications. I liked that these two were separate; moms-to-be can read about what normally happens, and then go on to learn about possible complications. The book does this with postpartum, too. There is a chapter on cesareans and one on breastfeeding.

The book also includes helpful appendices on common medications used in labor, a summary of normal labor without pain medications and recommended resources that readers may want to pursue. All in all, a wonderful book has been made even better. I would recommend all midwives keep this book in their lending library for new parents. It would also make an excellent baby shower gift."

Toni Rakestraw, Midwifery Today Issue 97

About the Author

Penny Simkin, a physical therapist, has been a childbirth educator and doula since 1968. She trains childbirth educators, doulas, and doula-trainers and frequently conducts workshops for doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals.

Janet Whalley, a registered nurse and lactation consultant (IBCLC), has been a childbirth educator since 1975.

Ann Keppler, a registered nurse, parish nurse, and lactation specialist, has taught childbirth classes and new-parent classes since 1975.

Janelle Durham, a social worker, has worked with new parents since 1993. She is a birth doula, childbirth educator, and lactation educator.

April Bolding has a doctorate in physical therapy and is a childbirth educator, birth doula, water fitness instructor, and author.

Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Meadowbrook; 4 edition (July 27, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 143917511X
• ISBN-13: 978-1439175118
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,932 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #1 in Books > Medical Books > Medicine > Internal Medicine > Obstetrics & Gynecology
  • #16 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Women's Health > Pregnancy & Childbirth
  • #72 in Books > Parenting & Relationships > Parenting

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

79 of 80 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book - My go-to resource February 22, 2011

By C. Chen

Format:Paperback

For my first pregnancy, I read The Mayo Clinic Pregnancy Book, What to Expect, The Husband-Coached Childbirth, and this Penny Simkin book, Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn. This book had the best balance of stats based on evidenced based medicine but also real life anecdotal vignettes from mothers. Throughout the book, there are quotes from mothers sharing their expectations and experiences - these voices put into perspective that there is no one right way, just a few different options that might work for me.

For full disclosure, I approached this first pregnancy considering a natural childbirth but open to using drugs if needed. Since I come from a family of physicians I was skeptical of going too far off the holistic deep-end. I wanted to stay within a comfort zone that balanced following my body and practicing the best evidence-based medicine. After reading many Amazon reviews, I bought this book and was very very happy in its approach to preparing for and giving birth. The book does a great job of showing the range of options. For example, The book provides at least 3 sample birth plans ranging from mothers who wanted and epidural to mothers who wanted to give birth in a birthing center.

A potential con is if you're interested in week by week drawings of your little fetus and getting updates on what fruit or vegetable s/he is, then you'll need to augment this book with the Mayo Clinic Pregnancy Book or sign up for Baby Center's week by week email. Penny Simkin's book will cover general fetus development and what you can expect in each phase of your pregnancy but invests much more in the types of proactive exercises you can be doing to prepare for the birthing process. There is also a section at the end on how to prepare for the newborn, breastfeed and other aspects of basic newborn care.

The book has simple pictures to illustrate techniques. My husband and I started about 2 months before our due date by spending 5-30 minutes each night practicing some of the suggested natural birthing management techniques. There were so many different techniques but the book did a great job of suggesting short routines so that we could work on a few techniques each night. It was great "us" time too!

In addition, there are also sections on possible interventions such as a c-section, different drug options, membrane stripping, etc. It was great to be exposed to these possibilities early on so that I could make the appropriate decision and refer back to the book as needed.

I highly recommend this book for people that are looking for a little more information on what you can do proactively as you're preparing for your childbirth. The book is supportive of both drug-assisted and drug-free deliveries. We lucked out and had a drug-free delivery - I really surprised myself! It was a fantastic experience and this book really helped me prepare.

87 of 90 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything and More! October 29, 2010

By Mel

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

While looking through pregnancy books, I got tired of reading about how you got a second line, got sick, got fat, and squeezed out your "bundle of joy." What about the reality of the situation and how exactly that "bundle of joy" finds its way out of me and into this world?

I could not be happier with my purchase of this book. It starts with a few chapters on the typical progression of mother and baby during pregnancy. It includes exercise and diet tips (with pictures) for pregnant women. There is a chapter on complications during pregnancy as well as one on how to plan for a birth. Birth plans are discussed in good detail, as well as interview questions for your OB/Midwife/Doula. In fact, there are different lists for each of those. Although doulas are discussed, this book does not assume you will have either a medicated or a natural birth. Those decisions are left to you.

There are several chapters on labor and delivery. It was extremely informational to learn about the different "stages" and how they progress, as well as positions and situations to help ease the pain during each of these stages. I feel like I'm much more informed about labor now than with any other resource I've come across. Does the phrase "perineal stretches" sound familiar? It does now!

The final few chapters review what to do once the baby enters the world. How do you breastfeed? How do you position your child? How many times should you feed each day and how many wet/poopy diapers should you expect? What are some common causes for concern? Answers to all of these questions are provided, as well as illustrations for breastfeeding, holding your newborn, etc.

There are a few paragraphs scattered throughout this book for Dads, but this book is not geared directly towards men. I'm sure they would find it very informative, although the squeamish ones might shy away.

I give this book four thumbs up (two from me, two from my baby in utero). I finally feel like I am better informed. This book respects you as a mother and aims to give you information in a very easy readable format.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Very comprehensive and easy to read! October 23, 2010

By sarahburns123

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book covers all the bases for first time moms and approaches interventions in childbirth in an unbiased way so that parents can come to their own decisions about mom and baby's care. I would highly recommend this book over What to Expect When Expecting!